Infant care apron

ABSTRACT

An apron has a waist belt to which are attached a front panel having a plurality of pockets thereon and a side pocket on either side of the front panel. The side pockets are attached directly to the belt of the apron not connected to the front panel, so that the side pockets remain vertical with the user in a standing or sitting position allowing a bottle or cordless phone in the side pockets to stay in an upright position when the wearer sits down. The waist belt is secured by tying or by means of a mating hook and loop fastener.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to aprons and particularly to an apron having a waist belt to which are attached a front panel having a plurality of pockets thereon and a side pocket on either side of the front panel, the side pockets are attached directly to the belt of the apron not connected to the front panel, allowing a bottle or cordless phone in the side pockets to stay in an upright position when the wearer sits down.

2. Description of the Prior Art

A mother with a young baby needs an array of items to use in tending to the baby, including toys, a bottle, a diaper, powder, and various other baby caring necessities as well as a cell phone, preferably all handy within reach, especially when holding the baby. Prior art patents do not adequately address this wide array of needs.

U.S. Patent Application #20030131398, published Jul. 17, 2003 by Haines, is for a belt for use by a healthcare worker that includes a strap to encompass a portion of the body of the worker to which a plurality of holders (or containers) is attached. The holders are preferably, adapted to hold or containing various items that are often used by healthcare workers in the course of their routine. For example, at least one of the holders can be a pouch fabricated from a lightweight, durable and flexible material. Preferably, the entire belt is fabricated from a generally, lightweight, durable and flexible material. In addition to pouches, which can hold or contain items of various size, shape etc., one or more of the holders can be adapted to hold specific items. For example, at least one of the holders can be a bottle holder. A belt for use by a person requiring care, supervision or oversight (for example, a child or a patient of diminished capacity) includes a strap to encompass a portion of the body of the person. The belt has attached thereto a plurality of holders in which the patient can carry items. The entire belt can be fabricated from a generally, lightweight, durable and flexible material. Preferably, at least one of the holders is sufficiently transparent to allow others to identify the contents thereof. The belt further can also include at least one information tag. The information tag can for example provide patient identity and/or the identity of a facility in which the patient is being cared. The belt can also include at least one safety tag to facilitate viewing of the belt in reduced visibility conditions.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,694,520, issued Feb. 24, 2004 to Smith, shows an apron and protective device for child care giver. The apron may include a first attachment device having a plurality of shaped items attached to it and a second attachment device having a plurality of touchable items attached to it. The apron may be further comprised of a zipper device and a buttoning device connected so that they can be manipulated by a child. An upper pocket may be provided having a designation indicating that the upper pocket is to be used for storing medical supplies. A-protective device may be connected to the apron for protection the wearer from untidy activities of children.

U.S. Pat. No. D381,190, issued Jul. 22, 1997 to Deon, is for the ornamental design for a newborn baby apron.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,873,725, issued Oct. 17, 1989 to Mitchell, provides an apron-type garment for the use by parents of infants in which many of the necessities for child care are kept close at hand. Specialized pockets conveniently located on a front panel of the garment provide for the storage of milk bottles, bibs, diapers, baby powder, and the like. Made of a thick, quilted fabric, the garment not only is gentle against the child's skin but also absorbs moisture and thereby protects the wearer's clothes against their being soiled while the wearer is attending to the needs of the child. The body of the garment includes, in addition to the front panel, two rear panels each of which is about one-half as long as the front panel. Contiguous portions of the front and rear panels form a pair of flared sections covering the wearer's shoulders and extending laterally therefrom. These flared sections together with the lower portions of the rear panels cover the caregiver's back to her waist, thereby allowing her to let the child rest his head on her shoulder, even after a meal, without having to worry about clothes worn beneath this garment becoming soiled as the infant exercises a natural tendency to regurgitate.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,960,471, issued Oct. 5, 1999 to Burton, claims a protective garment for use with feeding, burping, nursing and changing diapers of a baby. The garment has a main body member that may be secured about the neck and over the shoulders of a wearer, comprising an inner layer made from a waterproof material, such as vinyl, and an outer absorbent layer attached preferably on either side of the inner layer. The outer layer is made from soft material, such as cotton, fleece, flannel, or the like, which is suitable for soft contact with a baby's skin. A cloth member is removably attached to the front outer portion of the outer layer, and is used as a washcloth or napkin to clean a baby during or after feeding or burping. In the preferred embodiment, the front outer layer of the main body member includes a pair of pockets, having an elastic band about the top of the pockets for retaining baby bottles or other baby care items. The back outer layer contains a plurality of pockets on a bottom portion, and also includes a small pocket adjacent the neck area for containing a small musical device. Other features described herein include a lap pad, removably secured on the back outer layer, which can be folded down over the wearer's lap for changing diapers, glow in the dark designs on the front outer layer,.VELCRO loops for holding teething rings, pacifiers, baby keys, and the like, and openings provided adjacent a female wearer's breasts for providing access for a baby to the breast for nursing.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,533,150, issued Mar. 18, 2003 to Margo, describes a multi-purpose adjustable portable carrying pouch adapted to carry devices of varying sizes, such as baby bottles, water bottles, cellular and cordless telephones, PDA's (Personal Desktop Assistants), a multiplicity of cameras, portable radios, video and audio remote controls, assorted tools, sunglasses, eyeglasses and wallets. The pouch comprises substantially rectangular pliable horizontal segment is integral with a vertical pliable segment. The horizontal segment includes a pair of retention flaps having a central segment disposed therebetween. The vertical segment depends from the central segment. Hook fastening members are secured to the inside surface of the horizontal segment at each retention flap. The hook fastening members are secured to the inside surface of the vertical segment in opposition to the central segment. Loop fastening members are secured to the outside surface of the horizontal segment at each retention flap in opposition to the hook fastening members. A belt loop or clip is mounted along the central segment on the outside surface of the horizontal segment. The hook and loop fastening members may be adjustably coupled to adapt to the size of the device to be carried.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,375,749, issued Dec. 27, 1994 to Oliva, discloses a multi-purpose holster apparatus which is suitable for holding a variety of objects including portable tools, mobile telephones, flashlights, cameras, baby bottles etc. The holster employs a rigid or semi-rigid frame which has a section which mates with a corresponding section on the object to be holstered. The frame is attachable to a belt or a waistband to allow a rapid drawing of the object that is holstered.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,967,345, issued Oct. 19, 1999 to Subotin, indicates a baby bottle and accessory holder having two cups, preferably constructed from fabric. The rims of the cups are supported adjacent to each other by a single length of rod stock bent in two circles, over which the cloth of each cup is positioned. An extension of the rod stock forms a support to assist in positioning the holder against a mounting surface. The extension works in cooperation with a strap, joined to the rod stock near the union of the two cups and the support, having a loop and hook material for securing the baby bottle and accessory holder to an object such as an arm of a chair, a car seat, a backpack, or a person's belt.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,839,907 issued Jan. 11, 2005 to Katz is for an apron-like, unisex garment having at least six pockets for holding implements and supplies needed by a craftsperson such as a knitter, crocheter, quilter, etc in working on a project. The garment ties around the waist and is adapted to be worn while the worker is working on a project, removed in fully loaded condition and set aside while loaded until the worker is ready to resume work on the project. Some pockets may have closures at the top for security in carrying keys or money. The garment may have buttons sewed on it in predetermined patterns and, if so at least some of the pockets are equipped with buttonholes so that they may be buttoned on and removed when no longer needed. Buttoned on pockets may be placed inside larger pockets to afford security.

U.S. Pat. No. 2,922,165 issued Jan. 26, 1960 to Krawczyk, provides a carpenter's apron with pockets attached separately to a belt.

What is needed is an apron for mothers of young babies which provides pockets for all the items needed for tending a baby including a diaper, toys, clean wipes, and other items used in childcare as well as separate side pockets for items which should not be tilted or dropped, such as a baby bottle, a cordless phone, and eyeglasses.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to provide an apron for mothers,of young babies which provides pockets for all the items needed for tending a baby including a diaper, toys, clean wipes, and other items used in childcare as well as separate side pockets for items which should not be tilted or dropped, such as a baby bottle, a cordless phone, and eyeglasses, so that the items are with the infant caregiver whenever they are needed in caring for the infant.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an infant care apron which can be fabricated inexpensively and attractively in any desired color or pattern of cloth.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an eyelet sewn onto the apron for attaching a teething ring by a hook onto the eyelet.

In brief, an apron has a waist belt to which are attached a front panel having a plurality of pockets thereon and a side pocket on either side of the front panel. The side pockets are attached directly to the belt of the apron not connected to the front panel, so that the side pockets remain vertical with the user in a standing or sitting position allowing a bottle or cordless phone in the side pockets to stay in an upright position when the wearer sits down.

An advantage of the present invention is that it provides all the items needed for tending a baby carried with the infant caregiver whenever they are needed in caring for the infant without spilling or dropping any of the items.

Another advantage of the present invention is that it can be fabricated inexpensively and attractively in any desired color or pattern of cloth.

A further advantage of the present invention is that it can have an attached teething ring on the apron.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other details of my invention will be described in connection with the accompanying drawings, which are furnished only by way of illustration and not in limitation of the invention, and in which drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a user in a sitting position wearing the infant care apron of the present invention showing the side pocket hanging down straight and the cloth belt tied in back;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of a user in a sitting position wearing the infant care apron of the present invention showing the side pocket hanging down straight and the cloth belt secured in back by mating hook and loop fasteners on overlapping ends of the cloth belt;

FIG. 3 is a front elevational view of a user in a standing position wearing the infant care apron of the present invention showing all the pockets hanging down straight.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

In FIGS. 1-3, an infant care apron device 20 used by caregivers for babies comprises a waist belt 21, a front apron 22 with an array of pockets 23A, and separate side pockets 23B attached directly to the belt and not to the apron so that the side pockets always hang down vertically both a standing position, as in FIG. 3, and sitting position, as in FIGS. 1 and 2.

The waist belt 21 is preferably a fabric belt and the means for securing the fabric belt comprises either a knot 26A tied in the fabric belt, as in FIG. 1, or mating hook and loop fasteners 1 9A and 1 9B attached in mating positions on overlapping ends of the fabric belt.

A front apron 22 attached to the fabric belt 21 and suspended therefrom comprises a sheet of material having an array of storage receptacle pockets 23A attached thereto for carrying articles used in child care, such as toys, dolls, stuffed animals 31, diapers, clean wipes and other baby care necessities.

The device further comprises at least one side receptacle pocket 23B attached to the fabric belt 21 on a side of a user separately from the front apron so that an item stored in the at least one side receptacle pocket hangs down from the apron attaching means in both a standing position, as in FIG. 3, and a sitting position, as in FIGS. 1 and 2 of a user so that the items in the side pockets will remain in an upright position at all times and not tip or fall out of the at least one side receptacle. The side pockets are useful for items needing to remain upright to avoid breakage by falling out for fragile items such as a cordless phone 50 or glasses and for items which should not spill a liquid, such as a baby bottle 30.

In FIG. 3, the device further comprises an eyelet 15 sewn by strong thread 14 onto the apron and a hook 15 through the eyelet for hanging an item therefrom, such as a teething ring 16.

It is understood that the preceding description is given merely by way of illustration and not in limitation of the invention and that various modifications may be made thereto without departing from the spirit of the invention as claimed. 

1. An infant care apron device for use by caregivers for babies, the device comprising: a waist encircling elongated means for attaching an apron to a body of a user, a means for securing the apron attaching means around a waist of a user, a front apron attached to the apron attaching means and suspended therefrom, the front apron comprising a sheet of material having an array of storage receptacles for carrying articles used in child care, at least one side receptacle attached to the apron attaching means on a side of a user separately from the front apron so that an item stored in the at least one side receptacle hangs down from the apron attaching means in both a standing and a sitting position of a user so that the item will remain in an upright position at all times and not tip or fall out of the at least one side receptacle.
 2. The device of claim 1 wherein the at least one side receptacle comprises a pocket attached to the apron attaching means at a top of the pocket with the pocket suspended vertically down from the apron attaching means on a side of a user.
 3. The device of claim 2 comprising a pair of pockets with one on each side of a user for retaining items in an upright position.
 4. The device of claim 3 wherein one of the pockets is structured to retain a cordless phone stored therein;
 5. The device of claim 1 wherein the array of storage receptacles on a front of the apron comprise an array of pockets in a front surface of the apron.
 6. The device of claim 1 wherein the apron attaching means comprises a fabric belt and the means for securing the apron attaching means comprises a knot tied in the fabric belt.
 7. The device of claim 1 wherein the apron attaching means comprises a fabric belt with overlapping ends and the means for securing the apron attaching means comprises mating hook and loop fasteners attached in mating positions on the overlapping ends of the fabric belt.
 8. The device of claim 1 further comprising an eyelet built into the apron and a hook through the eyelet for hanging an item therefrom. 